Judges say Penn Yan Diner is best

Sean and Carrie Ahearn's five years of tireless work and struggle have paid off. Their Penn Yan Diner has been recognized as the Number 1 best diner in all of Upstate New York by the judges of NewYorkUpstate.com

From 30 semifinalists nominated and voted by their readers in Upstate's Western, Central, and Eastern regions, NYUp.com sent their judges to just six diners — two from each region. At each, they sipped mugs of coffee, sampled the Hollandaise sauce of variations on Eggs Benedict, savored rashers of bacon, and ordered pies for dessert.

So excited by the news, owner and head cook Sean Ahearn was dancing in front of the diner on East Elm Street as he posted the announcement on their sidewalk sign. "Judges' Choice was the one I wanted," says Sean. "I knew we'd never get the Reader's Choice because we're not in a city or on a major highway."